1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an economical, disposable unit to be used to protect vehicles from striking concrete abutments, sign posts, or guard rails, as used on many highways.
2. Summary of the Invention
The present invention of a crash cushion includes an economical, disposable unit that is used to be mounted in front of a concrete abutment, sign post, guard rail, or the like, and thereby protect a moving vehicle from annihilation should it strike the abutment, etc. The crash cushion may consist of more than one container, made of fiberglas or plastic, and filled with a compressible mixture of cemented vermiculite. The cushions are ground anchored by means of cables, and if the cushion is hit head-on, the cables will free and the cushion will fold to thereby compress the vermiculite to absorb energy delivered by the vehicle. If the vehicle should strike the cushion from an angle, rather than head-on, cables will slide slightly through the cable clamps for controlling side slip and energy absorption of the vehicle.
The energy absorbing part of the cushion is an octagonal fiberboard container or tube, reinforced with a wrapping of glass fibers or wire, and with a liner of expanded vermiculite particles cemented together to form a crushable material. The center of the liner is hollow and in the shape of a cone, this configuration causing the vermiculite casting to start to crush at the front end and progress toward the rear end as the pressure from the impacting vehicle becomes greater and more is needed to bring the vehicle to a safe stop.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a crash cushion which is used to absorb the energy delivered by a moving vehicle.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.